The book that I chose to review is titled “Trust Agents”. The book is by authors Chris Brogan and Julien Smith and it explains using the web to build influence, improve reputation, and earn trust.

Pod camp is a conference that is all about new media and how to use it. It focuses on building relationships as well as business.Brogan is known for his blogs on social media and can also be followed on Twitter along with other information on his website.

One of the first people to PodCast in 2004. Also credited as being one of the first well known personalities on the internet. Smith can be followed on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.He has his own website as well.

Trust Agents had eight different chapters, but touches on 6 basic principles. The six principles are found in six of the chapters in the book.They include make your own game, one of us, archimedes effect, agent zero, human artist, and build an army.Each of these six chapters are a characteristic of a trust agent the way Brogan and Smith want to describe or characterize them.By reading these chapters one can learn how to be successful in the social media world along with business and relationships.

The most important things that I took away from this book are using the web to accomplish anything, interacting with others, and leadershipThe chapter Archimedes Effect speaks of how to use the web. It shows the importance and how people can accomplish business and relationships by using social media. This chapter also touches on important technology as the web is and how people take it for granted. The authors illustrate how people can use time leverage to help with business.The authors explain how web interaction is the same as meeting someone. The same rules apply because people want to be treated as you would like to treated.Leadership on the web can be more powerful than a group anywhere. The technology is right in front of people. This is how the author explains all the opportunities for leadership in the chapter “Build an Army”. They explain, “How the web helps create democracy” (222).

What was the most surprising to me in the book was how the authors described social media networks. They described these networks as not just social media, but really the media itself.When people started signing up for facebook and twitter it seemed to me as a way to talk to friends, share pictures, and etc. The authors illustrated it in a stronger light because the networks , “extend human relationships” (18). If anything that I learned besides what was all ready mentioned was how the authors believe in the connection between relationships and business and how social media is the way to strengthen both these items.

This book was an easy read and it was helpful in introducing new ideas to apply to the “real world”.Not only did it present these ideas to help out in business, but even ways to help out in everyday life by using these trust agents. I would recommend any person that is interested in business or even on a social media network to read the book.

I did not really know what to expect from this book about trust agents.I had heard the term, but not fully aware of how everything works.This book really just taught me information that I was unaware of and did not leave anything to wonder about.Trust Agents only left the reader with ideas to think about that were introduced.

If anyone has any question or is interested in reading Trust Agents and wants to chat feel free to add be on facebook, follow me on twitter, or even just email me.